The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

I can't believe no-one has even mentioned Dimebag. I'm not the biggest metal fan, but I think his rhythm playing was superb. I wish I had a fraction of his sense of timing and rhythm.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Did I go through the list too fast to see Joe Walsh's name? The James Gang era especially.

Funk #49, The Bomber, the whole dang live album...?

Also, +1 more for Steve Cropper.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

ive always been very impressed by JB of grand magus. thats some incredibly tight riffage.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

I think:

50s : Chuck Berry
60s : Jimmi Hendrix
70s : Billy Gibbons / Jimmy Page
80s : Van Halen / Mark Knofner
90s : Tom Morello

don't listen to 50s, 90s or 00's so I wouldn't count them.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Anyone mentioned Pete Townshend????
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

mid-70ties to mid-80ties Rudolph Schenker is somewhere around the top, too.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

There are a bunch of great players in this thread, but no one has mentioned Leo Nocentelli of the Meters. His timing is impeccable.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Harrison, Townsend, Keef....can't believe no love for Ronnie Wood! Listen to that gritty funky style that made the Faces and all his guitar work swag! I forget who said it...rhythm guitar is hugely underrated. I enjoy it more than lead..when I lock in with the drums and bass, it's a world of fun.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Decade is sooooo the wrong way to look at this. Style is more the issue. My overall faves regardless of style/era:

Hendrix, Townsend, Steve Cropper, Van Halen, Gibbons, Malcom Young, Hetfield, Rudy Schenker, Mustaine, Chuck Berry, Kenny Burrel, Wes Montgomery
 
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Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

As far as metal goes, I'm going to throw in Scott Ian from Anthrax. The guy has a piston for a right arm.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

As far as metal goes, I'm going to throw in Scott Ian from Anthrax. The guy has a piston for a right arm.

So does Malcolm. To me that's a shortcoming. I want dynamics & variation; subtleties, along with being about to bang out loud chords. Since rhythm is the prominent guitar on most parts of the average song, the last thing I want to hear song after song is some guy strumming like a blacksmith on an anvil. I don't see that as a particularly desirable approach to music. I like to hear them get creative and take a fresh approach to each song, and not automatically pound away on every of them (ala Malcolm). Show me you can do more that that.
 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

So does Malcolm. To me that's a shortcoming. I want dynamics & variation; subtleties, along with being about to bang out loud chords. Since rhythm is the prominent guitar on most parts of the average song, the last thing I want to hear song after song is some guy strumming like a blacksmith on an anvil. I don't see that as a particularly desirable approach to music. I like to hear them get creative and take a fresh approach to each song, and not automatically pound away on every of them (ala Malcolm). Show me you can do more that that.

Doh! I saw you'd quoted the Scott Ian shout and thought you'd finally seen the light about heavy music.
I shoulda known better.:friday:

not automatically pound away on every of them (ala Malcolm). Show me you can do more that that.

Here ya go. Malcolm plays some lead on this track.

 
Re: The Best Rhythm Guitarists?

Dean DeLeo from STP is often overlooked. They dude rarely solo'd, it was all song writing and rhythm playing for that cat.

Rich Robinson from the Crowes writes a mean riff.

My favorites:
70: Jimmy Page is the man, plain and simple.
80: EVH - if he solo'd half as good as his rhythm playing, the world might cease to exist because it would be so awesome.
90: Corgan, Cantrell, Dimebag, DeLeo, Robinson, Ty Tabor all made an impression on me.
00: Rock died so it doesn't matter.
 
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